
06
Diwali Mixture
Rare
A savoury and sweet snack mix, traditionally prepared ahead of Diwali
Savouries and sweets made in the days before Diwali, packed up to share with family and visitors.




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AMMAMMA'S NOTES.

Pakodam
Rice flour and besan mixed with urad dal powder, butter and spices into a chappati-like dough, pressed through a murukku press and deep-fried until crisp.

Omapudi
Lightly roasted and powdered omam mixed with besan, rice flour, butter and spices into a dough, pressed through the murukku press and deep-fried until crisp.

Muthasaram
Rice flour mixed with besan, roasted moong dal powder, butter and chilly powder into a dough, pressed through the star-shaped murukku plate and deep-fried until crisp.

Thenkuzhal
Rice flour mixed with roasted urad dal powder, jeera, asafoetida and butter into a dough, pressed into rings through the thenkuzhal plate and deep-fried until crisp.

Thattai
Fried rice flour mixed with urad dal and puttukadalai powders, soaked channa dal, butter and spices into a dough, flattened into thin discs by hand and deep-fried until crisp.

Seedai
Ground coconut, pepper and jeera mixed with fried rice flour, urad dal and puttukadalai powders and butter into a dough, rolled into small balls and deep-fried until crisp.





Ganpati Kozhakattai
Steamed rice flour kozhakattai made for Ganpati, with sweet or salt fillings.
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Nolambu Adai
Adai made specifically for Nolambu, a Tamil festival observed by married women
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WE WAITED FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS TO MAKE MIXTURE — SHE WAS NOT AN EASY TASKMASTER DURING THESE DAYS. DAYS BEFORE DIWALI WE'D PLAN EXACTLY WHAT TO MAKE, HOW MUCH TO GIVE EVERYONE WHO CAME BY,AND HOW MANY "JIPLOCK" COVERS WE NEEDED. THEN CAME THE FUN PART — MAKING A PLETHORA OF SWEETS AND SAVOURIES — AND THE FUNNEST PART, PACKING IT ALL WHILE SHE TOLD ME STORIES ABOUT HERSELF.























YAMINI VENKATESAN
WHAT'S FOR LUNCH, 2026